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Prepositions after adjectives

Rotten to or rotten in?

Rotten to is used in expressions such as rotten to the core or rotten to someone. Rotten in usually refers to the place where decay exists.

Quick answer

How is rotten used with prepositions?

Rotten to appears in fixed expressions or when describing bad behaviour toward someone. Rotten in refers to decay or poor condition within a place or area.

The fruit was rotten in the middle.
He was rotten to his younger brother.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
rotten to + person

Describing bad treatment

Use rotten to when someone behaves badly toward another person.

She was rotten to her coworkers.
He has been rotten to his family.
2
rotten in + place/part

Talking about decay in an area

Use rotten in when describing where decay or damage exists.

The wood was rotten in several places.
The apple looked rotten in the centre.
3
rotten to the core

Using a fixed idiomatic expression

Rotten to the core means completely bad or corrupt.

The official was rotten to the core
They described the organisation as rotten to the core

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
rotten to
He was rotten to his assistant.
behaving badly toward someone
rotten in
The wall is rotten in one corner.
decayed within a place or area
rotten with
The fruit was rotten with mould.
with introduces the cause or feature of decay
rotten to the core
The system is rotten to the core.
completely corrupt or morally bad

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using rotten to for physical location

Use rotten in for the place where decay appears.

✕ The floor is rotten to the middle. ✓ The floor is rotten in the middle.

Confusing rotten to with rotten toward

Both can describe bad behaviour, but toward is often more formal.

✕ She was rotten in him. ✓ She was rotten to him.

Using rotten in without a location

Rotten in usually needs a specific area or place.

✕ The fruit is rotten in. ✓ The fruit is rotten in the centre.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The bread was ___ the middle.
2. He was ___ everyone who tried to help.
3. The organisation was described as ___.

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Frequently asked questions

Can rotten describe personality?

Yes. Rotten can describe cruel or unpleasant behaviour.

Is rotten in common for physical objects?

Yes. It is natural when talking about decay in a specific part or place.

Can I say rotten toward someone?

Yes. Rotten toward someone is also standard, especially in more formal writing.

racist-in-against-for-to, towards "radical in" or "radical for"? rampant in, among, with, on or throughout? "rare in" or "rare for"? "rational for" or "rational in"? "raw in", "raw for" or "raw with"? reachable by, from, on, in or through? "reactive to", "reactive rather" or "reactive in"? ready for, to, in, at or by? "realistic about" or "realistic in"? "real to", "real for" or "real in"? rearing of, as or on?

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